Returning the Favor
by angellwings
Summary: JONAS. Carl had a little bit of help while he was visiting the Lucas Brothers and decides to return the favor. Set during "Band's Best Friend". Kevin/Macy.


**Returning the Favor**

by angellwings

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* * *

"Hey Carl, where you been all day buddy?"_

_"Wrapped up in a volleyball net."_

_-"Band's Best Friend"

* * *

  
_

Macy Misa had no patience for Carl Shuster-- Even if he was a child hood friend of Jonas. He had ruined her volleyball game. The visiting team had been too enthralled by the "fourth Jonas" to actually play. Macy wasn't one to deny a girl of her Jonas fan moments, but…not during a GAME! Games were sacred. You played hard or you went home…it was that simple.

Macy glared at the girls that surrounded him and plowed into the pile. She grabbed Carl by the collar and yanked him away. The girls booed and insulted her as she led Carl out of the gym and into the hallway. She lightly shoved him forward and slammed the gym's double doors behind her. She huffed and began to untangle the net.

"Hi," He said with a sad frazzled expression.

Her hard expression softened at his tone, "Hi."

"You're Stella's friend Macy, right?" He asked quietly as she unwound the net.

"That would be me, yes," She told him. "You've heard about me?"

"Oh yeah, Joe told me about you and how you're graceful and athletic until you see one of them."

Macy blushed and sighed. It was true…so why did it feel like she'd just been slapped?

"Oh," Macy answered lamely. "So, what did you do to deserve to be sacrificed to us crazy fans?"

He sighed in a forlorn manner, "I suppose I got carried away with the whole rockstar thing. I just thought their new lives had to be all about parties and music, but it's not is it?"

"No, that's one of the reasons they're so popular. They're different and somehow so beautifully simple at the same time," Macy said with a bright smile.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"They're popular because they _try_ to keep things as normal as possible," Macy told him as she unwrapped the last piece of volleyball net. "And well…people like us make that very hard."

"Us?" He asked.

"Me, as in the fan that can't seem to treat them like normal people, and you, as in the guy that's too caught up in his friend's rockstar fame to actually BE a friend himself," Macy told him honestly.

"Oh," He said simply. What else could he say? She had pretty much covered everything.

"If I were you I wouldn't let your fame obsession last too much longer," She suggested.

"What about your problem?" He asked curiously.

She gave him a tiny smile, "I'm working on it, but it's really difficult. Even more difficult than perfecting my overhand serve which, believe me, was one of the hardest things I've ever done. But I have a feeling your problem might be easier to solve than mine. You just need to stop thinking of Joe as a rockstar and go back to thinking of Joe as your friend."

"You think I should go talk to them?" He asked forlornly. He wasn't looking forward to that. He had been a major jerk.

Macy shrugged, "It's up to you, but I would."

He gave the petite girl a small sad smile, "Thanks…for the advice and helping me out of the volleyball net."

"Not a problem. Can you do me a favor?" She asked.

"Sure, what kind of favor?" He asked.

"Never interrupt one of my volleyball games again," She told him seriously. "I won't be as nice if it happens again."

He swallowed thickly, "Got it. Never again."

"Okay, well bye! Good luck with your talk!" Macy called sweetly as she returned to her volleyball game.

* * *

Carl glanced around at the party that surrounded him. The talk hadn't really gone well, but Joe and his brothers had thrown him an awesome party to make up for it. They had invited all the people who doubted he and Joe were friends, but Carl felt like someone was missing. He thought back to his conversation with Macy Misa. She had helped him with his problem, and he wanted to help her with hers. He took a deep breath and turned around to find Stella. Stella wasn't fond of him. He knew that, and he knew why. Joe had used him as his cover for the Plum Pudding Incident. But he didn't know Macy's number and she did.

He cleared his throat and tapped Stella's shoulder. She spun around quickly.

"Shoe," She said coolly.

"Stella," He said with a small smile. "Can you call Macy and tell her to meet you here?"

She quirked an eyebrow at him, "What? Why?"

"I owe her, and I think I know how to repay her. But I need you to get her here," He told the blonde.

"You're not going to pour pudding all over her stuff too are you?" She asked him suspiciously.

"No," he sighed. "I want to help her with something. Please?"

"Fine, but if you embarrass her in any way I will hurt you, got it?" She threatened as she rapidly texted her best friend.

"Got it," Carl grinned.

Carl walked away and Stella glared after him thoughtfully. What would Carl want with Macy? Did they have a…thing? Surely Macy wouldn't settle for the wannabe Jonas! Would she? Stella raced over Joe, Nick, and Kevin.

"We have a problem," Stella told them urgently.

"What?" Joe asked.

"I think Carl and Macy are…are," She gulped before finishing her sentence, "dating!"

"WHAT?" The Lucas brothers asked in unison.

"She wouldn't," Joe assured Stella.

"Yeah, not Shoe...no way," Kevin agreed.

"Yes, way," Stella insisted. "He just asked me to get her here. He said he 'owed' her."

Nick shrugged, "That doesn't mean they're dating."

"But who even knew that they had spoken to each other?" Stella asked.

"Well, we did sacrifice him to the visiting volleyball team," Nick reminded them.

"You did what?" Stella asked as she stifled a giggle.

"Yep, and they grabbed him like a freshly made pancake," Kevin grinned evilly.

"Oh, I bet you Macy was livid," Stella said with wide eyes. "She doesn't stand for people interrupting her games."

"She doesn't?" Kevin asked fearfully.

"Definitely not," Stella told them. "I walked up to the dugout during one of her softball games once to ask her if she wanted to go eat afterward and she nearly bit my head off. She has her zone and she likes to stay there when it's game time."

"Um, well, she may not be happy with us then," Joe gulped.

"Probably not, but you're Jonas…she'll probably give you a free pass," Stella smiled.

Shoe approached the group and smiled eagerly at Stella, "Did you get a hold of her?"

She forced a smile, "Yes, she's on her way."

"Awesome, thanks Stella!"

Carl knew exactly how to help Macy with her problem. She had been mad at him for interrupting her game, but really it had been the guys. If Macy was truly that serious about sports she probably loved it more than Jonas. He smirked. Hopefully, game time would trump Jonas time.

"He was way too happy to hear that she was coming," Kevin said suspiciously.

"You can't be thinking Stella is right about those two?" Nick asked hopelessly.

"I'm not saying I like it…because, believe me, I don't," Kevin said with a tense jaw. "But-but…what if she's right?"

Joe rolled his eyes. Since when was he the sane one? "She's not right. Shoe would have told me, and I don't think Macy could take him for an extended amount of time."

Stella glared at the Lucas brothers, "I'm right here."

"Can you imagine Macy and Shoe as a couple?" Nick asked in a horrified tone.

"Oh please don't make me," Kevin begged. "And there it is…the mental image that will scar me for life."

He couldn't stop picturing it. He kept seeing Macy and Shoe frolicking in some sort of field…in slow motion no less and dramatic underscoring too! He shuddered. That would not be happening. He wouldn't let it.

"We have got to do something," Kevin said quickly.

Joe huffed, "I'm telling you there is nothing to do 'something' about."

"Then WHY is he so interested in Macy?" Stella asked Joe with a glare.

"I don't know, Malone. Maybe they're friends," Joe said in a bored tone. "Friends may be too strong a word…maybe they're acquaintances."

"Oh, nice word usage, bro," Nick told his brother as they bumped fists.

"Thanks, I'm following this word of the day thing on Twitter. It's really awesome. It gives you a word and a definition for every day and-"

Stella crossed her arms in a pout as Joe babbled on. Her phone vibrated and she yelped. It was a text from Macy. She was here!

"Guys, guys," Stella said as she frantically got their attention. "She's here."

The door bell rang and Carl automatically brightened, "I'll get it!"

"Oh no you won't," Kevin muttered as he raced toward the door. "No frolicking for you, Shoe."

Macy's eyes widened as the door swung open and Kevin stood there smiling and huffing at the same time.

"HA! I totally beat him here!" He yelled.

Macy nodded mutely and stared at him in shock. She had been freaking out just standing in front of the door. It only made sense that she would freak out when standing in front of a Jonas. Kevin quickly caught Macy as she tottered forward. Macy took in a deep breath to keep from fainting, and couldn't help but note that Kevin smelled really good. She squeaked and quickly pushed herself upright.

"Sorry about that," She muttered quietly.

"It's alright," he said with a smile. But Macy couldn't help but notice as his eyes flashed with disappointment. Carl pushed his way forward.

"Macy!" he greeted her brightly. "You made it!"

She smiled pleasantly at him, "Hey Carl. I see you've managed to stay away from volleyball nets."

"Believe me, I took your warning to heart," he grinned. "I will never interrupt one of your games again. Pinky swear."

Macy chuckled and hooked her pinky with his, "You better not."

Kevin glared at their entwined pinky's, "Well, you two obviously know each other."

"Yeah, Carl stumbled into the gym the other day and caused a Jonas fan panic," Macy said with a smirk.

"And Macy got me out of there and out of the volleyball net. She also gave me some really good advice," Carl said as he gave Macy a friendly smile.

"You needed it. You looked pretty pathetic in that net," She said playfully.

Kevin's brow furrowed. Why didn't their banter ever flow that easily? He wanted to have inside jokes and be able to tease each other too! But that would require talking without fainting.

"Gee, thanks," Carl said with a wry smile as he looked up at the oldest Lucas. "See, Kevin, you guys pushing me into the gym wasn't a total disaster. I made a new friend."

Macy's eyes flashed, "I'm sorry what?"

Kevin laughed awkwardly and his voice raised a couple of octaves, "I don't what you're talking about, Shoe."

"Sure you do. You guys pushed me into the gym so that I could meet your fans, remember?" He asked with an evil smirk. Kevin glared at him. Carl Shuster was a dead man.

"You did what?" Macy asked in a raised voice. "My game was canceled because of that! And our best setter sprained her arm trying to get a piece of Shoe! You're telling me that all of that chaos was caused ON PURPOSE?"

Kevin winced, "Someone sprained their arm?"

"Not just someone…Sarah Wastienuk! Our State All Star setter! I cannot believe you guys would do that!"

Carl smirked. Everything was going according to plan.

Kevin smiled charmingly at her, "Did I mention that I'm a member of Jonas and am awesome at power slides."

Macy glared at him. "Oh no, not gonna work this time. You three are apologizing to Sarah in person AND sending her flowers. And I HOPE you guys have apologized to Shoe. Being a Jonas fan myself I know how crazy we can be. Now where are the other two so I can give them a piece of my mind? No one puts my team or my winning record in danger. Not even Jonas."

Kevin stared after her with wide scared eyes, but as he watched Macy poke Joe's chest repeatedly with an accusing finger it faded into a smile. If Macy could yell at them then there was a very large possibility that she could fall into an easy friendship with them as well. Kevin would take all of Macy's anger if it meant there was hope for something more.


End file.
